Counterbalanced hinge



Oct. 27, 1953 w. R. JONES 2,656,563

COUNTERBALANCED HINGE Filed July 18, 1950 u I 5 INVENTOR. Mz'affz /Yefs fortes Patented Oct. 27, 1953 COUNTERBALANCED HINGE William Rees Jones, East Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Robert Trent Jones, Montclair, N. J.

Application July 18, 1950, Serial No. 174,448

1 claim. l

This invention relates to hinged structures and is particularly directed to devices for counterbalancing the weight of a movable hinged element.

In certain applications of hinged structures, particularly when the movable element or member is of substantial weight and is horizontally hinged, i. e., when the axis of the hinge pivot is horizontal, it is desirable to counterbalance the weight of the member in some manner. Typical applications of hinged structures which involve a horizontally disposed. vertically movable member are: hatch covers, trap doors and covers for various types of cabinets. Floor gratings or racks may also be hinged to vertical walls so that they may be moved up out of position when desired. In refrigerator cars, for example, floor racks or pallets are used to provide a raised platform upon which materials may be stored so as to permit adequate ventilation and the circulation of chilled air beneath the stored materials, or even provide space for ice or other refrigerating instrumentality. When the racks are not in use and when it is desired to clean the flooring of refrigerator cars, the racks may be pivoted upward, it being then necessary, in cars heretofore used, that the outer ends of the racks be hooked to the vertical wall to prevent them from dropping down. The racks used in refrigerator cars are of heavy construction to support the weight of the articles carried on them, and are, therefore, of substantial Weight so that if they are permitted to drop in a free fall, when unhooked from the walls, considerable damage may be done to them or to the insulated iioor against which they strike. There is also a serious and constant danger or injury to personnel required to work in the car and to raise and lower these iioor racks.

It will be appreciated that in most arrangements in which a movable member is horizontally hinged, it is desirable to prevent the rapid descent of the member from the vertical to the horizontal position, this problem being singularly acute in the case of floor racks in refrigerator cars. Therefore, it is an important object of this invention to provide a new and improved device which will retard the movement of the hinged movable member as the outer end moves downward into the horizontal position.

A further object is to provide a novel, simplied and rugged device which counterbalances the increasing moment of a horizontally hinged movable member of substantial weight as it is moved rfrom the vertical position to the horizontal position, thereby facilitating the safe handling of said member.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a means which in addition to fulfilling the above objects will also provide means for retaining the movable member in the vertical and in the horizontal position without additional locking means.

To these and other ends, presently preferred embodiments of the new device include a springbalanced hinge having a hinge member adapted for attachment to a movable door or rack, and a second hinge member which is adapted for attachment to a supporting structure.. A hinge pintle or suitable connecting means is provided to connect the two hinge members. A cam suriace is provided on the underside of the first hinge member and is adapted to bear against a yieldable cam-contacting member which is pressed against the cam surface. The cam surface is so shaped as to bear increasingly (e. g. with increasingly greater displacement) against the cam-contacting member as the rst hinged member moves from the vertical position to the horizontal position, and in such manner the increasing moment of the movable element secured to the movable hinged member is counterbalanced by the increasing compression exerted by the cam-contacting member against the cam surface.

For a more detailed description of certain examples of the invention, reference is made to the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one particularly effective form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the form of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded, fragmentary, perspective of certain parts of the device of Figs. l and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of an alternative form of the invention.

Referring first to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the hinge device consists of two hinged members or leaves, such as members I0 and I2. Hinged member Ill includes, a vertically disposed arm or plate I I which is adapted to be secured to a wall or other vertical supporting structure 25, and a horizontal outwardly extending arm 24 which is substantially at right angles to the vertical arm I I.. Suitable hinge connections 23 are provided at the outer end of arm 24, e. e. curved socket elements 23 integrally projecting from the arm portion 24, to constitute part of the hinge knuckle. The hinged leaf or plate I2 is also provided with suitable complementary hinge connections 26 which constitute similar socket elements and which are adapted to intert with the hinge connections 23 of the hinge member I0. Suitable pivoting hinge means, such as pintle 20, is carried in the knuckle formed by the socket elements, in the usual fashion to maintain the two leaves I0, I2, in hinged relationship and thus to provide an axis about which the hinge leaf or member I2 may be turned. If desired, when used for a refrigerator car, the hinge member VII) may also have a lower foot 25a to engage the floor 252) for proper spacing and better support and rigidity of the member I0.

In accordance with the present invention, a supplemental lever or arm I9, having a 'lower cam surface I8 as described below, is also pivotally carried on the pintle 20 by Va hinge connection lug or socket element 21 formed integrally at one end of the lever I9, above 'the cam surface I8. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pivoting lug 27 :of the lever Imay fit between the socket elements 2S of the hinge leaf 112, the latter .elements being disposed between the vcorrespond-i-ng yparts 23 of the leaf Il), and .all being aligned on the pin-tlc 2id. The long, upper edge or face -of the lever I9 is .adapted to Aabut atwise against 4the underside `of the swinging hinge leaf I2; although an operative device may Vbe provided wherein the lever remains a separate eier-nent ibut pressed against the leaf lI2 to the extent necessary, -by `the spring structure .described below), the lever 'is preferably secured to 'the underside of 4the movable leaf or member I2 by welding or other suitable means. Alternatively the lever fIS, or equivalent rugged means to provide the cam surface I3, may be initially formed as ran integra-l part of the hinge member I2, for example by making a single forging which constitutes the ltwo instrumentalities.

A bracket I3 is fixed to the vertical .arm lII of the hinge member -i by Asecure means, such as the bolts 29 and nuts 2-8; while the bracket can alternatively be welded or otherwise joined `or made integrally with the hinge member I0, and while the 4bolts 29, if used, can merely provide attachment between the member and bracket, they may conveniently Yserve the fur-ther function (as show-n) of securing the hinge element IU to `the wal-l lor other supporting structure 25. An upstanding cylindrical -boss vI5 is `provided -on the bracket I3, and has a hollow cylindrical core adapted to receive a heavy coil spring I4, `which may -be a single coil as shown, or of other sort, such as plural, coaxial coils for'extra heavy duty. A telescoping cylindrical tube member vI I is :slidably mounted on the exterior surface of the boss I5 and is provided at its upper end `with a platform I''I which is adapted to abut the curved cam surface I8 of the lever or arm I9. The coil spring I4 supported on the bracket I-3 and within the tclescoping elements I5, I6, is maintained in compression Vso that it presses against the underside vof the platform v`I'I and urges the latter upwardly toward the hinge axis (i. e. the pintle 20) into yieldable but firm pressure rcontact with the cam surface I8.

It will lbe understood 'that the movable hinge leaf I2 is suitably secured to the lelement 3l, such as a floor rack, trap Vdoor or other structure,r

which is -to be moved between a lowered posi-tion as shown and a-n upper yor upright posit-ion as indicated by :dotted lines in Fig. 1. In its lower position, the lelement 31| `may have means (not shown) of conventional 'sort at its outer end, to arrest yit vand hold its supported lweight 'at Aa desired locality. In most cases, two or more such hinge structures are used for a given rack, door or the like, being spaced along a common axis at the back edge of the latter; but since the hinges may be all identical, illustration and description of the operation of a single one is believed suiiicient, e. g. to indicate the manner in which a plurality of them will function in unison.

In operation, as the .hinged element 3l, which is attached to the hinge member I2, swung down, e. g. from the dotted line position of Fig. 1.1, the cam surface I3 depresses the spring I4 to agreater and greater extent causing the spring to be increasingly compressed and to exert a progressively greater counterbalancing effect to 'offset 'the increasing force of gravity on the hinged element di. rEhe cam surface I8 is eccentrically disposed with respect to the axis of the hin-ge (or may be considered as lying in a spiral curve about that axis) so that when the member "I2 is rotated in one Vdirection labout 'the axis, ie. g. from the vertical tothe horizontal '.position, the radius of the engaged .part :of :the I:cam surface increases, causing the cam engaging member or platform Il to be .displaced ,forcibly and continuously in a downward direction .or away Afrom the axis 2li.

When the lhinged `element .3l is in the upright position, indicated by the :dotted Vline lin `iilig. l, the top surface .or platform I.-'I of the .spring-- pressed tube -IE :engages the fiat step 222 of the cam 'surface IS, thus biasing the .hinged element against swinging downward. 'By 4providing :a similar fiat Step at the rotherwendrof the cam surface IS, e. g. at the Llocal-ity 22a, Athe hinged imember may be similariy biased l.in :a horizontal xposition when the hinged element has been lmoved somewhat past a selected center such vas indicated -by the dotted line 32. The biasing effect results 'from the spring-pressed surface rising slightly, :or at least seating itself Aagainst the .corresponding liiat section of the cani surface -I-B. Although such biasing lof the 4hinged element lin its vertical and horizontal positions Laiiords La means of retaining the yhinged element in the position desired, the hinge element can be readily removed -(as :by a slight pull) from the respective spring-biased positions. it will be appreciated tha-t by vvarying the shape of the :arc

of the cam surface a-nd by increasing or Adecreasing the compressi-ve vforce of the lcoil spr-ing, the counterbala-ncing effect of the arrangement 'may be varied. it will also be understood that if 'desired, the special biasing effects described above may be `dispensed with, or vmay be made -rnore pronounced, as by ycurving the cam surface i8 inward toward the hing-e axis at the desired localities -for releasable arrest of the hinged structure.

In Aaddition to counterba:lanci-ng the enect of gravity on the hinged element, 'the inter-action of the cam surface IS of the lever or arm `'Ii'with the top platform `suriaxfc I'i -of the springpressed tube I provides such eff-ect a -posi ve manner, and may also, if desired, afford a lfinal, Ypositive check 'to the downward movement of 'the hinged element 3i, i. e. 'by the platform I'I' abutting a more remote portion of the underside of the lever 'or arm I9.

In Fig. 4 an 'alterna-te form -of `the springpressed means is shown, the hinge members 3'3 and 34 corresponding -tc hinge members I'Il and I2 in Figs. 1, '2 and 3, land the lever or arm '35 corresponding tothe lever i9 in the preceding figures. vIn the embodiment shown in Fig. 4,

the means which yieldingly press against the cam surface 36 of the lever or arm 35 comprises a resilient leaf spring or strip 39, which is suitably fixed to the hinged member 33 by means such as nuts and bolts 3l and 38.

Although in both of the devices shown the respective cam arms I9 and 35 are preferably attached to or integral with the movable hige members respectively, the cam arm or lever may, in some cases (as explained above) be separate and merely carried by its pivotal bearing surface (in the lug 21 or 4l!) on the hinge pin 20 or 4I. Although such arrangements may be less serviceable and may require omission of a biasing surface portion of the cam surface for the horizontal position, the pressure of the spring assembly will ordinarily keep the cam arm in perative position against the swinging part or parts.

Although for some purposes, the springpressed platform or other cam engaging member can -be embodied in other ways, as for example, by locating a telescoping, platform-supporting guide inside instead of outside the spring I4, the illustrated structures are singularly effective and satisfactory, the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2 providing an especially rugged hinge that is adapted for very heavy duty. The platform II is firmly seated at all times and the spring securely held in proper alignment, yet both the spring and the tube I6 are amply free to move up and down as the hinged floor 0r other element is rocked about the hinge axis.

As indicated above, one structural combination in which the apparatus of this invention is extraordinarily useful is in railroad refrigerator cars, the present devices (especially in Figs. 1 and 2) providing means for hingedly supporting, from the vertical walls, the heavy racks or pallets upon which products are carried above the insulated flooring of the car. My improved hinge structures are particularly effective in counterbalancing the weight of the racks, so that when the car is empty, the racks can be very easily raised and lowered to permit cleaning beneath them, with no danger of a rack falling in such way as to damage itself or the underiloor, or to injure the operator. Indeed, with the danger of structural shock thus minimized, the racks may be of lighter construction than is now employed. In such service of the apparatus, the enclosed arrangement for the coil spring I4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is especially advantageous, in shielding the spring from ice and salt, brine, moist, salty air, or other corrolsive materials which are normally found in refrigerator cars. The tubes I5 and I6 may be filled with grease to assure further protection of the spring from corrosion and deterioration.

It will now be appreciated that the invention fullls the objects stated above of retarding the downward movement of the hinged element, counterbalancing the weight as the element is increasingly affected by gravity during its downward movement, and of providing a means for retaining the hinged element in the vertical and horizontal positions. In addition, it will be noted that the devi-ce is of a particularly sturdy construction, and is well suited to severe and rigorous conditions. Furthermore, there is no need for any additional pivotal connection between the hinged members than the conventional pintle, so that, therefore, the -construction of the device is essentially very simple and the exposed moving parts are a minimum in number.

It will also be appreciated that the counterbalanced hinge device of this invention is adaptable to many uses and can be made in various sizes -depending on the nature of the application. It may be easily reproduced in relatively small size because of the simplicity of the parts. Furthermore. although the invention is primarily directed to the counterbalancing of a horizontally hinged element, it will now be seen that structures of the sort here shown and described may be adapted for use in other circumstances, as in hinged installations pivoted on other axes, wherein it is desired to retard the closing or opening of the hinged element or to limit or prevent its movement.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific forms of the apparatus which have been described and illustrated but that the arrangements set forth have been merely illustrative. The invention may be carried out in other ways without departure from its spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:

A counterbalanced hinge structure for pivoting a movable member at one side on a horizontal axis to a stationary structure to provide for swinging said movable member between horizontal position and a vertical position above said horizontal position, comprising a first hinge element to be attached to the movable member. a second hinge element to be attached to the stationary structure, pivot means having a horizontal axis and pivotally connecting said elements for swinging said first element about said axis between said horizontal and vertical positions, a cam associated with said first element beneath the same and movable therewith about said -axis and having a curved, downwardly facing cam surface eccentric to the axis, said cam being shaped so that the lowermost point occupied by said surface continuously and progressively falls as the first hinge element swings downward, said point being at its highest locality when the rst hinge element is at its said vertical position and being at its lowest locality when the first hinge element is horizontal, said cam being arranged to transmit downward load of the rst hinge element to the said lowermost point of the cam surface at all positions of said downward swing of the rst hinge element, and resilient means carried by the second hinge element wholly below the first hinge element, said resilient means being at one end xedly associated with the second hinge element and pressing latwise upward at the other end against the cam surface at its lowermost point, said resilient means being compressible downwardly by the cam for resisting the downward load of the first hinge element progressively more and more as downward swing of the first hinge element progressively lowers said lowermost point of the cam surface, and said resilient means comprising a support rigidly carried by the second hinge element and disposed at a locality spaced vertically below the cam, a platform having a flat upper surface disposed beneath and in abutment with the cam surface at its lowermost point, a tubular sleeve extending rigidly upward from the support, a tubular sleeve extending rigidly downward from the platform, said sleeves being coaxial and one of said sleeves being disposed in vertically sliding, telescoping relation around the other of said sleeves, and a coil spring having a vertical axis and coaxially fitted within the inner one of said sleeves and xedly seated under compression besumma .7 tween the support Vthe platform., ;sa1d tele- Number Soaping sleeves :cnioperaisng 21:0' enclose `ine spr-ing. 553,484 JONES, 588,642 644,203 References `Cited in -the file of this patent 5 1,067,676 UNEF-ED .STAT-Es 'PATENTS 2.265304 Number Name Date 324,444 Wolf A (Ang. "1a, *188:5 Number 449,366 'Kelsegx7 --Mar. 31,11'891 10,940 472,483 Loomis Apr. 1892 l0 @50,7157 'Wo'l'f June Il, 1895 8 Name Datev Detwler Jan. 21 1896 Hoffman Aug. 24, 1897 Hoffman Feb. 257., .11900 Passons J.,u1y 15, 1913 Stein et al. Dea-9 `1941 FOREIGN 'PATENTS Country Date .Great .Britain 1..--- `May 2l, 1896 

